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LWV League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Smart Voter
Los Angeles County, CA March 8, 2005 Election
Measure LaHabraHeights---B
Life Safety Services
City of La Habra Heights

1,164 / 80.3% Yes votes ...... 285 / 19.7% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures
Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments |

Shall Ordinance No. 259 be adopted to amend and clarify the existing special fire tax to provide that the proceeds of the special fire tax may be used to fund not only fire prevention and suppression services, but also life safety services, including, but not limited to, paramedic and emergency medical response services?

Impartial Analysis from City Attorney Sandra J. Levin
In 1997, more than two-thirds of the City's voters approved adoption of the current Special Fire Tax, which pays for fire prevention and suppression services. As approved in 1997, the proceeds of the existing tax may only be used for fire prevention and protection services. However, the Fire Department also provides emergency medical services. Measure B would amend and clarify the purpose of the existing Special Fire Tax to state that the proceeds of the tax may be used to pay for both fire services and emergency medical services. Thus, Measure B provides that proceeds of the new tax may be used for fire prevention and protection as well as emergency medical services, such as paramedic and emergency response services.

Measure B amends only the permissible purpose or use of the funds and does not affect the current tax rates, the maximum permissible rates or any other provision of the existing tax.

Effect of Measure B: If adopted by a majority of the voters, Measure B would amend and clarify the City's existing Special Fire Tax to state that the proceeds of the tax may be used to fund emergency medical services. If Measure B is not approved, the existing Special Fire Tax would remain in effect but the City would be unable to spend the proceeds of the tax for purposes other than fire prevention and protection services.

  
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Arguments For Measure LaHabraHeights---B
In 1997, over two-thirds (2/3) of the voters in the Heights approved a Fire Tax that replaced the previous, longstanding Fire Fee. That Fire Tax was Ordinance 219, which was to be used to fund all Fire Department services, including emergency medical and life-safety functions. However, the wording of Ordinance 219 incorrectly limits the use of the tax to "fire suppression and fire fighting". The ordinance needs to be corrected to include the intended emergency medical and paramedic services. This technical clarification is especially important now as paramedic costs have increased from about $15,000 to $200,000 a year because of a contract change with the City of La Habra. There is no tax rate increase of any type associated with this ballot measure! The changes to Ordinance 219 simply clarify that the Fire Tax may also be used for emergency medical services.

The City Council of La Habra Heights unanimously encourages you to vote YES and support this important change to the wording of the Fire Tax so that the funds may also be used to pay for emergency medical and paramedic services.

/x/LA HABRA HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS:

Ed Borrowe, Mayor
Bruce Douglas, Mayor Pro Tem
Fred Klein, Council Member
Stan Carroll, Council Member
Tela Millsap, Council Member

(No arguments against Measure LaHabraHeights---B were submitted)

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Created: March 29, 2005 12:43 PST
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